Sean Simpson

How’d you end up working at Bain? 

I graduated with a degree in economics and a minor in information systems in 2009 right as the economy wasn’t doing so well. It was pretty difficult to secure a job, so I accepted a seven-week contract as a help desk analyst in my hometown, Rochester, New York. There, I provided computer support for colleges and universities. I turned that seven-week contract into 11 months, at which point the company was interested in hiring me directly. The recruiter said they were very impressed. But I declined because I was no longer interested in being in Rochester. I had a friend working in Charlotte, North Carolina, and asked if they had any opportunities there. Soon I was on a plane to interview in Charlotte.  

After my interview, I was contacted by the regional manager of a big staffing company and we set up an interview the Saturday before I flew back home. My original employer, where my friend worked, ended up passing on me because I didn’t have any sales experience. But the staffing company offered me the job! 

I was at that job for more than seven years as a recruiter placing application developers. After several promotions, leadership asked me if I’d be interested in relocating to Atlanta to turn around an office that was consistently failing. After succeeding and working there for a few years, I moved to Dallas, then to another staffing company as an executive recruiter. I started to get the feeling I wanted to work in-house and see the people I’d hired go on to be successful. And that led me to Bain.  

What’s a project you’re proud of?  

I’ve been the proudest of all the Bainies I’ve been fortunate enough to hire who have been thriving in their roles. With projects I’ve been working on recently, there is one in particular where colleagues and I sourced new tools for the Talent team and increased the number of people using them. This helped our teammates minimize the time it takes to fill positions.  

To what do you credit your success? 

I would credit my success so far to a few things. One, the mentality I learned early in my career, where I didn’t receive much training and was expected to produce results quickly. If you didn’t quickly place talent in the places I worked previously, you’d find yourself without a job. That taught me to move fast and focus on the right things.  

Another thing is learning to wear multiple hats at all times and manage client and stakeholder expectations while also serving as an expert in areas like recruiting, processes, and industry trends. My prior 11 years of experience positioned me well to do that effectively at Bain. 

How has diversity played a role in your decision to work at Bain?  

I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn if the environment wasn’t as diverse and inclusive as it is. It has supported me by allowing me to bring my whole authentic self to work every single day without having to worry about being judged. It’s just so welcoming. Without this, I don’t think Bain would be as successful as it is.  

I’m a proud member of Black at Bain. My previous two employers didn’t have anything like this, so it was completely new to me. It made me feel I had a support system larger than my team. I’d describe it as having a family you never knew you had. Now I’m involved in planning our local Black at Bain events for this calendar year in Dallas, Texas. 

What should candidates know?  

Prior to receiving my offer, I did quite a bit of research and I noticed a theme in the online reviews. They were extremely positive. I thought to myself, “That can’t be a real place. Bain must have paid for these reviews.” But after being here for more than a year and a half I can confirm everything you read is true. Bain really is a place that treats you with the utmost respect and is invested in your success. Bain’s going to strive to help you be the best version of all you can be.